Chicago Police Officers recently had the opportunity to seek transfers to new assignments within the department.

Eight positions were available in the 19th district. Unfortunately, while 8 officers are transferring into our district, 15 or 16 are leaving. From our comments section this morning:

Here’s another lie… 019 is getting more bodies in 2014. Well the order is out: 019 gets 8 more bodies! 019 loses 14 more that bid out and 2 more that were promoted. Net result? -8 bodies to start 2014!

And…

Well, here’s the manpower numbers after the transfer. Maybe the good folks at this blog can bump it up to the top. 8 openings in 019, 13 people transferred out (-5), and two promoted, for a -7. On January 5, the district will have 7 less people than it did on Saturday.

The loss of these officers will bring the total number of cops who’ve left our neighborhood since March 2012 to about 112.

112 fewer cops to help you. 112 fewer cops to respond, search, and CATCH the people who are committing crimes here. 112 fewer cops to file reports so that crimes are recorded rather than vanishing as part of the department’s ludicrous “24% decrease” in crime.

Manpower information obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request shows the precipitous drop in police staffing since the current 19th district was formed by combining the old 19th and 23rd districts on March 4, 2012.

Now, we can subtract at least 7 more. So, at most, we have 349 cops heading into 2014. 25% fewer officers. And that doesn't count any that may have left between the department's November number and today.

Let's jump in the old time machine and dial it back to late 2011...

“We’ve been reassured that merging districts is going to put more officers on the beat. So that’s a good thing.”

— 47th Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar

“The total number of officers in the district will stay in place, non-sworn personnel working in the district will be reduced and there will be more sworn officers on the street. There will also be the same number of [patrol] cars."

Chicago Police Department Supt Garry McCarthy threw his weight behind Emanuel’s proposal, suggesting that the merger would free up officers from administrative duties and allow for “more boots on the ground working in districts.”

43rd ward Alderman Michele Smith [link dead as of July 12, 2014] spoke to [Police Superintendent Garry] McCarthy on the possible consolidation, [and] the superintendent had assured her that there would be “no impact on the level of policing” in the ward. (Ms. Smith? Check THIS out.)

“We feel that we’ve right-sized the districts as far as the number of officers that need to be there,” said McCarthy during a news conference at the Town Hall District station, at 850 W. Addison St., into which the old Belmont District is being merged.